


The Art of Pretending You Aren't Secretly In Love With Your Co-Star

by Parspicle



Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Actors AU, Arguing over who’s a bottom, Dumbasses, Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Gay, Kidnapping, M/M, Swearing, idiot plot, noncon kissing, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-05-28 06:19:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19388251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parspicle/pseuds/Parspicle
Summary: Error and Ink are actors. Their characters are in a healthy, romantic relationship, while they, on the other hand, want to fucking kill each other off screen. Nightmare’s the director and he’s really sick of their shit. Cross and Chara are making bets on them, while others are trying to figure out what exactly happened between them.





	1. A beginning.

“It's times like this that I remember just how in love with you I am." Flowers covered the floor and walls of the apartment, giving every second a tint of sweetness.

Ink looked into Error’s golden eyes, leaning down, still holding the other’s waist. He brushed back Error’s curly, artificially red hair.

They got closer, and closer, about to kiss, and then…

**_“CUT!”_ **

Error got dropped onto the floor of the apartment set.

“Ow-“

“What _now_ , Nightmare?!”

“We’re taking a break because _someone_ keeps fucking with the lights, _Horror_! Also, Ink, stop fucking dropping Error on the floor.”

Ink scoffed, going off to go talk with his writer friend (Dream) and the actual cop they consult for the show (Blue). Nightmare went to yell at the lighting crew.

“You seem more mad at Error than usual, Ink.”

Ink rolled his eyes. “Dream, did you _have_ to write a kissing scene in this episode?!”

“I know, Ink, but Nightmare said it would be best.”

“I’m gonna kick his ass.”

Blue, despite how funny he found Ink’s rage, spoke up.

“Ink, you realize I’m a _cop_ , right? And that could get you arrested?”

“Fine, I _won’t_ kick his ass. I’ll kick Error’s.”

“Ink!”

Cross offered a hand up to his friend, who was still on the floor.

“You okay there, Error?”

Error took the offer to get helped up.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Ink still being a jerk?”

“Yeah. Can’t you tell?”

“Pfft- good point. Why does he hate you so much, anyway?”

Error shrugged, “Dunno.”

“Oh, I guess he just hates you for no reason? He doesn’t seem like the type to hate someone for nothing.”

Error shrugged again.

“Although, you two _do_ seem to have a lot of chemistry on-screen, so maybe he’s faking it!”

“I don’t think so, Cross. Have you _seen_ the way he looks at me?”

“He _is_ quite a good actor.”

“He’s _not_ acting. I hate him, too.”

Cross raised an eyebrow.

“It’s true! He keeps dropping me!” Error fixed his glasses and hair, glaring at Cross.

“Sure. Whatever. _Ignoring_ the _huge_ crush you had on him for, what, the first couple of seasons?”

“That never happened.”

“Sure! Whatever-“

“Unlike _you falling in love with the writer,_ my crush on Paint splotch never existed.”

“What, hey, no, you’re not allowed to-“

“I’m not allowed to say the truth?”

“Error, shut up!!”

Nightmare cleared his throat, glaring at everyone.

“Take two, everyone. Ink, stop fucking around. Horror, stop fucking with the lights. Cross, get off of the set.”

Ink ran over to the set, Horror quit fucking with the lights, and Cross went over by Blue as Dream ran off to help someone from the cleaning crew do something or another.

“Everyone ready? Too bad! Action!”

The two took each others’ hands, their eyes meeting. They spun around to music, both smiling softly.

They swirled around the room together, being careful not to spin out of the camera shot.

The two both said the cheesy lines Dream wrote, and they kissed.

The scene finished.

“Do it again! Error, _you_ initiate the kiss this time.”

“What?? Nightmare! Won’t that mess with the consistency??”

“Shut up and do it, Ink. If we don’t like the take, we’ll cut it. Don’t argue.”

Ink scowled a bit. He got a look from Nightmare, being warned that, if he _continued_ to protest, he probably wouldn’t like what would happen next.

“Fine.”

“Good. Take three, everyone!”

The next take happened.

This time, Error dipped Ink and kissed him. Ink tried his best not to show his hatred. He smiled, tensing up a _little_ , just to try to scare Error a bit.

It worked all too well. Error, before hearing Nightmare yell for them to cut the scene, dropped Ink onto the floor, however accidentally.

“Cut!”

Error glanced back to Ink, saw his intense glare, then looked back at Nightmare.

Nightmare groaned into his hands.

“Fine, you know what? Fine. We can use that. You kissed long enough, anyway.”

Ink snarled as Error stepped back. Ink tried to leap at him but got caught by an intern, Chara, who had run up, noticing the look on Ink’s face.

“Calm down there, Inkblot, let’s get you some water. Before you kill someone.”

Error shot Chara a grateful look as they winked, sticking their tongue out and saluting. Ink was practically foaming at the mouth.

Chara was the favorite intern. They were nice to everyone, and genuinely sweet. They knew almost everyone in the studio very well. They were still working on getting Nightmare to open up to them, but they were making progress. Frisk, the other intern, helped a lot, but, as they weren’t very talkative, they didn’t get to know as many people as Chara did. Not that it was bad, of course.

Chara knew how to solve almost every problem they came across. Especially between people.

They got close to figuring out what happened between Ink and Error, but new evidence came up, and they got more confused. Still, nobody in the studio knew what happened.

Ink was sitting down, drinking water with Chara by his side.

“You okay, Ink?”

“No.”

“What happened over there, bud?”

“Error was being a dick! He dropped me!”

“Really? I think you kinda were too.”

“What?”

“I saw you stiffen during the kiss, Ink.” Chara winked.

Ink blinked, surprised that they noticed. He crossed his arms and looked away.

“You weren’t that good at hiding it.”

“Fine. I know. Nightmare didn’t seem to notice.”

“He’s _going_ to while looking over the footage.”

“Was it that obvious?”

“Ink, you scared Error into _dropping_ you.”

Ink took a sip of water, looking at Chara, then away again.

“Maybe so,” he huffed.

“I mean, really, I was _floored!_ ”

Ink, who noticed the pun, couldn’t help but laugh a bit, his mood lightening ever so slightly.

“Maybe I was a little too harsh.”

“A _little_?”

“Okay, fine. I was a _lot_ too harsh.”

“Would you mind telling me _why_ you were mean to him in the first place?”

“Well, maybe.”

“Oh, come on! It’s not that bad, is it? Just tell me!!”

“Fine.”

“Yes!!”

“A while back, he-“

Nightmare interrupted him by shouting.

“Ink! Stop slacking, get back over here!!”

“Oh- sorry! Sorry, Chara, I’ll have to tell you later, I guess.”

Chara sighed, narrowing their eyes at Nightmare.

“’s fine. Whatever.”

“Ink. _Now_.”

“I know, I know! I’m coming!”

Ink ran over, looking very done with filming this scene.

“You done, Mr. Drama Queen?”

“Shut up, Error.”

“You shut up.”

“Both of you, stop arguing!!”

The pair both crossed their arms, glaring at each other. Ink stuck his tongue out.

“Wow, how mature. What are you, five?”

“You insult like a first grader!”

“You _dress_ like a first grader!”

“You wear a hoodie and shorts every day and you say _I_ dress like a first grader?! You wear the same fucking thing every day!”

“You wear rainbows all the time!”

“You wear no color at all!”

While two were fighting, Nightmare was in the director’s chair, face in his hands, getting more and more sick of them fighting every second.

The two got closer and closer, pointing in each other’s faces. They were almost close enough to kiss.

Of course, they didn’t kiss.

“I hate you!”

“I hate you more!”

The two, sorta suddenly, were pulled apart and put in separate corners of the room. Error got pulled away by Chara, and Ink got pulled away by Paperjam, who had just arrived with GalaxyDollars. He was drinking it as he pulled Ink away by the collar of his shirt.

“Jesus, you two.”

“I swear, you both get rabies as soon as you get within two feet of each other.”

“More like as soon as they get in the same room.”

“True!”

The two were still flinging insults at each other as they were being dragged away.

“You’re a _horrible_ actor!”

“You’re worse! Plus, you’re a terrible kisser!”

“Your hair’s stupid!”

“Have you ever heard of a _hairbrush?!”_

“Have _you_ ever realized that there are _other_ hairstyles?! You’ve had that stupid fucking hair since _kindergarten!!”_

“Your ponytail makes you look like a rat!”

“You look like a cockatoo!”

“Rat!”

“Parrot!”

Cross and Dream looked over at the two. Dream winced, “Should we help them? They’re kinda more intense today.”

“Probably.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s more fun watching them fight.”

Dream raised an eyebrow.

“Now that I think about it, I think I might lose a bet if they don’t stop arguing soon. We might wanna help.”

“I’m afraid you’re trying to help them for the wrong reasons.”

“Good point.”

Dream ran over to Ink, trying to help Paperjam, who was slowly losing his grip on Ink. Cross ran over to Error and to help out Chara.

With Dream’s help, Paperjam managed to push/pull Ink into the hallway to get him to calm down. He was still ranting and raving.

Cross and Chara managed to push Error into a dressing room to get him to calm down.

Neither plans worked.

“Ink, you gotta calm down!!”

“Yeah, Inkjet, if you get any madder you’re going to explode.”

Ink, at this point, was foaming at the mouth.

“He really does have rabies.”

“Paperjam, that’s mean!”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

“It’s still mean!”

Paperjam rolled his eyes as Ink screamed in frustration.

“I hate him!!”

“We know, Inkjet.”

“He’s so obnoxious!”

“We know, Ink.”

“He looks like a _rat.”_

Paperjam, at this, burst out in laughter.

“Paperjam, help, he’s gonna run away!”

“You have to admit he’s right.”

“Dream, lemme go, I’m gonna go kick his ass!”

“No!”

After a while, Ink had gotten tired. He calmed down, not about to go kill Error. He stopped trying to pull away. He fell on the floor, breathing heavily. Paperjam dropped the arm he was holding. Dream did so, too.

“You done throwing your fit?”

Ink glared at the youngest actor of the set as he tried to remember how to breathe again.

“Will you quit that?”

“Quit what?”

“Being so rude!”

Ink, still regaining his breath, muttered, “Sassy.”

“Don’t call me that!”

Ink laughed, “What, sassy?”

“Argh- shut up!!”

“You’re _sassy_ , haha.”

“Shut up, Inkjet! Stop making a big deal out of it!”

Ink laughed again, muttering the word “sassy” to himself over and over again.

“Dream, I think he’s high.”

“I think he just gets like that when he’s tired.”

“Damnit- Nightmare’s gonna think we drugged him.”

“Oh, just give him a moment.”

In a couple of seconds, Ink was back on his feet.

“You ready to calm down?”

“I _am_ calm.”

“You didn’t seem like it. Your hair’s fucked up, Inkjet. Nightmare’s gonna _kill_ you.”

“He might.”

“‘ _Might_ ’?! Oh my god.”

“What?”

“He’s told you like ten times to stop fucking your hairstyle up. You’re _actually_ going to die.”

“Maybe.”

“Don’t worry, Inkjet, I’ll speak at your funeral.”

“I’m _not_ gonna die.”

“You might!”

Dream was watching all of this unfold.

“I’m not gonna die, kid.”

“Don’t call me kid, I’m 21!”

“Oh, you’re a _sassy_ kid.”

“Shut up!!”

“No.”

Dream spoke up, laughing, “Ink, you better watch it, bud, or Paperjam might end up killing you himself!”

“He can _try_ to kill me.”

“Okay, okay, let’s get back in there, Ink, or Nightmare’s for _sure_ gonna kill you.”

“Fine, fine.”

  
Error was having about as good of a time as Ink.

“Damnit, Cross! Let me go!”

“Calm down.”

“Never! I’m gonna kick Ink’s ass!”

“Chill.”

“Let me kill him!”

“No.”

“I’m gonna-“

“Error, if you say ‘kick Ink's ass’ _one_ more time, I swear I’m gonna kick _yours._ ”

Error, like Ink, eventually calmed down. He took a breath, sat down on the floor, and ended up not killing anyone.

“Okay, toddler, are you done?”

“Don’t call me a toddler.”

“It’s what you are.”

“Shut up, Cross.”

Chara rolled their eyes.

“Come on, let’s go before Nightmare kills you.”

Error stood up, walking to the door. He left, calmer than before.

“Hey, Chara, is the bet still on?”

“You fucking know it.”

“Gotcha. Can I change my side?”

“Nope! Too late.”

“Damn.”

When the two on-screen lovebirds got back into the room, they were filming another scene with neither of them in it. It was a scene with Geno and Reaper, the two who were really supposed to hate each other.

“I hate you!”

“I hate you more, asshole!”

Reaper got closer to him, glaring. Geno glared back with just as much intensity.

Reaper smiled mischievously and pulled Geno into a kiss.

Geno’s face flushed with color and he broke away from the kiss, laughing.

“Reaps oh my god-“

“Geno, Reaper! The camera’s rolling!! Quit flirting!”

“Sorry, Nightmare, but my husband’s face is too dang cute to be mad at!”

“Watch it, Reaper! We’re still at work, you dork.”

Error rolled his eyes. Ink rolled his eyes as well. They both muttered something about them being stupid.

“Hey, lovebirds, what was with that argument?! Get your shit together! We have a show to film! Get over here while these two go get their stupid romance out!”

Ink groaned while Reaper and Geno stepped away. Nightmare looked twice at Ink. He got mad.

“Ink, did you mess up your fucking hair?!”

“Well, uh, maybe…”

“How many times have I told you to stop doing that?! Geno, Reaper, get back here while Ink gets his hair fixed!”

Error glared at Ink and rolled his eyes as Ink was dragged off to get his hair done, again. Paperjam was over there, making fun of him.

“I _told_ you.”

“Sure you did- ow, ow, ow-“

The hairstylist pulled his hair back, fixing it. It was tighter than it was before, in hopes of him not wrecking it.

“I’m sorry, Ink- I really wish you’d quit messing it up.”

“I’m sorry, Template.”

“Then quit it!”

“I know, I know.”

“Template, want me to chew him out next time he messes it up?”

“Please.”

“You can _try_ , kid.”

“I can and I will.”

Error walked over, leaning on the wall.

“Is short stack getting mad again?”

“Shut up, Error. Don’t you have diseases to spread?”

“Jesus, don’t _you_ have like a billion STDs to spread?”

“You- _watch it!_ Plus, you lost the privilege to call me ‘short stack’ a long time ago, pal! Ow, ow, ow,”

Ink tried to lunge at Error, but, with Template pulling his hair back, he got held back and was in even more pain because of it.

“Haha, short stack fucked up.”

“Shut up, rat.”

“Can you _please_ stop provoking him, Error? He won’t sit still enough as it is.”

“Not unless he stops calling me a rat.”

“ _Rat._ ”

“ _Slut_.”

“That was uncalled for, asshole!”

“Ink, you’re making this harder than it has to be.”

Error turned up his nose a bit, continuing, “Not _my_ fault you’re a bottom.”

Ink gasped, glaring at Error even more.

“The hell did you just say to me?!”

“You heard me.”

“Did you just fucking call me a _bottom?!”_

“You _heard_ me, didn’t you?”

“How _fucking_ dare you.”

Paperjam, watching all of this play out, sighed and put his face in his hands as the actors who played his parents continued to argue over this.

“Template, please end me.”

“That’s outta my job description.”

“How can these two act so _perfectly_ like they’re married but go at each  
other this hard? Actually, on second thought, I don’t care.”

“I heard that, Paperjam!!”

“I know. Don’t care, Inkjet.”

“Slackers, is Ink’s hair done yet?! We need another take!”

Template finally finished off Ink’s hair, albeit a little messy, and let Ink go over.

“Yes, sorry!”

Ink ran back over to the set, followed by Error.

They did another scene, this time _without_ fighting.

Nightmare decided the take was good, and dismissed the two. They went back to the corner where Paperjam was.

They bickered quietly. Ink was losing.

“You suck at dancing.”

“ _I’m_ not the one who misstepped three times in a row, all while messing up his hair, _again._ ”

“Wh- I’m not the one who tried to trip me!”

“I didn’t even _have_ to try.”

“Well, I’m. I’m- I’m not the one who…” Ink’s voice trailed off.

“You have nothing, do you, short stack.”

“Why- wh- you little-“

“ _I’m_ not the little one, _Ink_.”

“Shut up!”

“You don’t have any comebacks, do you?”

“Of course I do!”

Error leaned down, glaring in Ink’s face. They got closer. Ink glared back.

“Oh, poor little shorty, you don’t have any good comebacks! You’re backed into a corne-“

Error’s smug, rude ramblings were cut off by Ink pushing him onto the wall and kissing him. Ink pulled away, still glaring.

“Fuck you.”

Ink stomped off.

The whole room felt like it went into shock.

Chara was the first to speak.

“CROSS YOU FUCKING OWE ME TWENTY BUCKS.”


	2. A Missing Person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone goes missing, but the crew goes on their normal ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an extra warning for death threats if that makes you uncomfy!!

The next day, Chara didn’t make it to work. They didn’t call. They didn’t answer any texts. Not even Frisk, their best friend, knew where they were.

“It’s a little weird of them to not show up, right? They’re _always_ on time.”

“Not as weird as your stupid hair.”

“Will you stop for two seconds? This is serious.”

“No. Cause _you_ won’t stop.”

“Chara’s not here, _rat_ , shut your snout.”

Error made a desperate hand gesture to Nightmare.

“Both of you, stop fighting. They probably just slept in.”

Both grumbled and looked away.

“You’re such a _brat_.”

“Thanks for reminding me of how much of a giant dick you are! And no, that _wasn't_ a compliment.”

“You _wish_ it wasn’t a compliment.”

“Okay, gross. We’re in a _workplace.”_

_SLAM._

Dream’s head fell into the desk he was working at.

“Woah, Dream, you okay, buddy?”

“Shut up, both of you. I’m _begging_ you. Please, for the love of goodness, stop fighting, or so help me, I’ll… I’ll write more kissing scenes!”

“Wait, no, Dream, _please.”_

“I’ll do it, Ink!”

“No, no no no I will get down on my knees _please.”_

Ink ran over to Dream, trying to apologize.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I won’t fight with him-“

“Don’t apologize to me! Apologize to Error!”

“…would you accept a ‘no’?”

“No!”

“Fine. Write _all_ the kissing scenes you want, I’m not apologizing to Error.”

“Fine, I’ll write more kissing scenes where _Error_ initiates the kiss.”

“Fuck.”

That got Error’s attention.

“Wait, Dream, no, please-“

“Aha, it works for both of you!”

Ink threw his arms around Dream, dramatically sobbing. As he does.

“ _Please_ , _Dream,_ don’t make me kiss that rat more than I already have tooooooooooo!”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“But Dreeaaammmm!”

“I _will_ tell Nightmare the new plan.”

“Noooo pleeeaaaasssse-“

“Ink, I’m warning you.”

Ink draped himself over Dream once more. He sighed dramatically and groaned while his other friend laughed in the background.

“Blue, stop laughing and help me!”

“Dreeeaaaammmm, don’t do this to meeeeeeeeee!!”

“Ink, get off!!”

“Noooooooooooo!!”

“Can one of you help me?!”

“I dunno, Dream, I’m kinda enjoying this.”

“Get him off of me, Nightmare!!”

“I’m good.”

“Nightmare!”

Ink fell onto the floor as Dream pushed him off. Error snorted. Ink shot him a glare.

“You sound like you _want_ me to kick your ass, Error.”

“ _You_ sound like a rat shoved in a tailpipe.”

“What a mean way to talk to yourself! I’m glad you finally admit you’re a rat!~”

“I said nothing of the sort!”

“Wow, ‘nothing of the sort’? What are you, an 18th-century vampire?”

“How about a person who doesn’t constantly use so much internet language that one has to look up every word he tweets?”

“It’s not _bad_ to use internet lingo! And for fuck’s sake, say ' _lingo',_ it’s not ' _language',_ you blood-sucking rat!”

“It’s not _my_ fault I actually use proper grammar instead of your clusterfuck of words!”

Paperjam pushed the two, who had their foreheads almost touching, apart.

“Boys, you’re both pretty.”

“Ow, that’s my face, you sassy kid-“

“Stop calling me sassy!”

“It’s what you are!”

Ink got pulled away from the two he had pissed off. By Blue.

“Come on now, Ink, let’s get you somewhere else so you _don’t_ die. Or kill someone. Please.”

Ink ended up being sat next to Nightmare’s chair so he didn’t get himself killed. He wasn’t very happy about it. He crossed his arms and glared at Error from his spot on the floor. Nightmare tapped Ink’s head every time he noticed the short actor glaring. Ink wasn’t happy with that, either.

“Watch it, Ink.”

“He started it!”

“I _do not_ care. Couldn’t care less, actually. I _will_ fire you if you don’t stop fighting. Actually, I heard Dream talking. I’ll do that.”

“Please, not you too.”

“Test me and it’ll happen.”

Ink grumbled, crossed his arms again, and looked away. Sort of like a toddler.

A toddler who was a surprisingly good actor.

A similar thing happened the next day.

Ink fought with Error. Error fought with Ink. PJ or Dream pulled them apart. One of them got in trouble with Nightmare, etc, etc.

Chara didn’t show up for work.

Ink and Error asked Blue about it.

“Blue, I’m getting kinda concerned about Chara.”

“I know, I am too. But the higher-ups told me that it’s _just_ a kid running away to rebuild a life.”

“Come _on,_ Blue! You can’t be serious!”

“I hate to agree with paint splotch, but he’s right. Chara wouldn’t do that. Ever. They _love_ their life here.”

Blue quickly glanced around.

“I’m sorry, you two, they’re telling me it’s not a big deal. I can’t do anything about it.”

Error and Ink, separately, decided to pay Chara a visit after the shooting. Just to make sure that they weren’t just sick.

Ink was the first to arrive. He stood outside their door, waiting. He was about to knock on their door.

“Oh. Hey, it’s you.”

“Ah, hello, glitch. Come to see Chara?”

“Yep. I’m surprised you were smart enough to think of visiting.”

“I’m surprised you cared enough.”

“I’m surprised you remembered to visit.”

“I’m surprised that you’re such a _brat_.”

“ _I’m_ surprised you haven’t cut your stupid hair yet.”

“Shut up, rat. Let’s just get in there.”

Ink knocked on the door.

But nobody came.

“What were we expecting?”

“Of course they’re not home.”

Error leaned on the old, wooden door.

And he fell into the apartment.

“Nice going, Error, you _broke the door._ ”

“I didn’t break the door! It was open!”

“Was it really?”

“Yes!”

Ink stepped over his co-star and into the apartment. It looked like a struggle had taken place. A couple of chairs were overturned, along with the entire couch. The table had a chunk out of it.

“Well… definitely not just a runaway.”

“There’s police tape here.”

“Wait, what?”

Error, from the floor, pointed to the bright yellow tape that covered the entrance to Chara’s room.

“So… they were here?”

“Yeah. There was probably a struggle, so their neighbors heard.”

“I don’t see any blood. Though there _is_ a knife missing from their kitchen.”

“Found it.”

Error, who had gotten up from the floor, pointed to the table. There was a knife in the mahogany. The table, despite a piece of it missing, was honestly quite nice. In fact, everything in the apartment was. Even the knife, with it’s elaborate and fancy design on the _blade,_ was pretty.

“Not something you’d expect an intern who lives alone to have, is it?”

Ink had taken the knife out of the table and was studying it. He pointed it towards Error. Error glanced at it.

“Not something I’d expect _anyone_ to have.”

“Maybe it was from a bet with Cross?”

“Not something he would have, either.”

“He’s more into knives than you think, paint splotch.”

“Sure.”

Ink looked at the fancy little knife. more. On the hilt, it had a little inscription.

_Property of Toriel Dreemurr._

“Dreemurr…?”

“Isn’t that the family who owns like half of the city?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Why bring it up?”

Ink shrugged it off. He wouldn’t tell Error just yet.

“Just… popped in my head, you know?”

“Do you think they might’ve had something to do with Chara’s disappearance?”

“Maybe. There could be a chance.”

Ink held onto the knife. What if he ended up needing it? He hid it a bit.

“Could I see the knife?”

“I looked at it. There’s nothing to see, really. Just an intricately-designed knife.”

Error raised an eyebrow.

“What if you missed something?”

“I have better eyesight than you.”

“I’m not saying anything about eyesight.”

“You’ll infect it with your rabies.”

“ _I’m_ not the one with rabies.”

Ink scoffed and went over to the bedroom.

“C’mon. Let’s see if there are any clues in here.”

The bedroom was just as overturned as the rest of the house. One of the lamps was broken, the side table was upside down, and the closet’s contents were all over the floor.

“Huh.”  
Error picked up a little card. A calling card.

He, like Ink, put the _very important evidence_ in his pocket so the other couldn’t see it. These _idiots_.

“Find anything?”

“Nope. You?”

“Nothing,” Error lied, messing with the card in his pocket.

“Good to know.”

They searched the rest of the apartment and found nothing of interest.

“Can we ask the owner of the building for any footage? Or who showed up when they disappeared?”

Error shrugged, “Maybe they’re forced to be quiet about all this, too.”

“True. But… why are they being forced to be quiet?”

“Even the police… How’d they get _Blue_ to be quiet about this?”

“Money? Threats? Either would work. But _why_ would they do this…? Why would someone cover up the kidnapping of… an intern? With no money, no living relatives, and… nothing, basically. It doesn’t look like they’ve stolen anything.”

“Yeah. Everything looks… intact.”

Ink’s phone buzzed and he jumped.

“Wow, I’d expect that of a bird.”

“Shut up, rat!”

Ink, without looking at the caller ID, answered his phone.

“Hello?”

An artificially deep, raspy voice answered.

“Stop looking for them.”

“What?!”

“Stop looking for Chara.”

“Alright, who the hell are you?!”

“That is not of your interest.”

“Where the fuck did you put Chara?”

“That’s also not of your interest.”

“They’re my _friend._ Where are they?”

“Watch what you say, Ink. It might just get you killed.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Of course. Stop looking for them. It’s not only your life at stake.”

“What do you-?”

Ink got hung up on.

“Who was that?”

“I have no idea. Whoever it was, they really didn’t want us looking for Chara. I think this goes bigger than what we think, rat.”

“What does _that_ mean, you shitty cryptid?”

“Someone… important. The one who kidnapped Chara. They’re someone important.”

“Can you be any more cryptic?”

Ink left without an answer.

Dream was the first to notice Ink acting weird the next day.

“Ink, are you okay? You’ve been sorta… jumpy today.”

“Oh, what? Me? I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You’re acting weirder than usual.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Nothing!”

“Come on, Dream, tell me!”

“Haha- Never!”

“Get back here!!”

“Ink, stop chasing my brother, please. Template can’t keep up with you ruining your hair.”

“Fine.”

After a few scenes, all of which Ink majorly fucked up on at least once, Error and Ink managed to sit next to each other without fighting instantly. They fought after a couple of moments.

“You really _are_ acting weird. Weirder than usual. You can’t even _act_ correctly today. That’s all you’re good for, and you can’t even do that well.”

“All _you’re_ good for is spreading disease, and you don’t even have a disease to spread yet.”

“ _You_ have several to spread.”

“Shut up, Error.”

“Bickering aside, are you acting weird because of that phone call?”

“What’s with the sudden interest in my behavior?” Ink snapped his fingers, pretending to come to a realization, and then continued, “Oh, I get it! Is it because you’re a _pervert_?”

“Decide on _one_ nickname for me and _maybe_ you won’t forget it.”

“Oh, I don’t have a problem with forgetting nicknames for _you.”_

“Why? Is it because the only uses you have are acting and making up stupid insults?”

“Oh, no! You forgot my other use: making _idiots_ like you _suffer._ ”

“How sweet of you to call me an idiot!~ If I were to have described you, I would have used ‘dimwit’, ‘dolt’, ‘blockhead’, or maybe even ‘Neanderthal’!”

“What about bastard?~”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter, I've been going through a little writer's block and also just a whole ton of shit offline as well :( I've been getting through it, though!


End file.
